Bottom-fill container with an integral child-resistant lid

ABSTRACT

A child-resistant container of one-piece integrally molded construction for storing and dispensing products. A body includes an open bottom through which product is introduced into the container, and a top wall with a dispensing opening through which product is dispensed out of the container. A lid is pivotably coupled to the body and is closeable with respect to the body in a child-resistant configuration.

The present disclosure relates to a plastic package, and more particularly to a child-resistant container and closure.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

A general object of the present disclosure, in accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, is to provide a bottom-fill container including a body having an open bottom for receiving product into the container and a top wall with a dispensing opening for dispensing product out of the container, and an integral pivotable lid closeable to the container in a child-resistant (CR) configuration. Other objects may include providing a closure fitted to the open bottom of the container in CR configuration, and/or applying a label to the container and/or closure in a tamper-indicating configuration.

The present disclosure embodies a number of aspects that can be implemented separately from or in combination with each other.

A package for storing and dispensing products in accordance with one aspect of the disclosure includes a container of one-piece integrally molded plastic construction having a generally rectangular body. The body includes an open bottom and a top wall extending across the body opposite the open bottom with a dispensing opening in the top wall. The container also has a lid pivotably coupled by a hinge to the body at one edge of the top wall, a plug on the lid for sealing receipt within the dispensing opening in a closed position of the lid over the top wall, and cooperating child-resistant latch elements at a front of the lid opposite the hinge and at a front of the body opposite the hinge for selectively latching the lid in the closed position overlying the top wall. The package also includes a bottom plug selectively receivable by press fit into the open bottom of the body after introducing product into the body through the open end.

In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a child-resistant package for storing and dispensing products. The package includes a child-resistant container of one-piece integrally molded plastic construction including a body having an open bottom and a top wall with a dispensing opening. The container also includes a lid pivotably coupled to the body, and closeable with respect to the body in a child-resistant configuration. The package also includes a closure coupled to the open bottom of the container body in a child-resistant configuration.

In accordance with a further aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a child-resistant container of one-piece integrally molded construction for storing and dispensing products. The container includes a body including an open bottom through which product is introduced into the container, and a top wall with a dispensing opening through which product is dispensed out of the container. The container also includes a lid pivotably coupled to the body, and closeable with respect to the body in a child-resistant configuration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The disclosure, together with additional objects, features, advantages and aspects thereof, will be best understood from the following description, the appended claims and the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a frontal perspective view of a package in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the package of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a container of the package of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary view taken from circle 4 of the container shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of a closure of the package of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary view taken from circle 6 of the closure shown in FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 illustrates a package 10 for storing and dispensing products, that generally includes a container 12 of one-piece integrally molded plastic construction, and a separate closure 14 coupled to the container 12. In general, the package 10 many be a child-resistant (CR) package suitable for use, for example, by a pharmacist in filling prescriptions. As such, the package 10 may be suitable for storing and dispensing loose products, for example, pills, tablets, or the like (not shown).

The container 12 includes a body 16 and a lid 18 pivotably coupled to the body 16 and closeable with respect to the body 18 in a CR configuration.

Referring to FIG. 2, the body 16 is of any suitable shape and may, for example, be generally oblong in shape. More particularly, the body 16 may be generally rectangular as shown, or generally elliptical or oval, or the like. The body 16 includes an open bottom 20 defining a filling opening of the container 12 in which product is received, and a top wall 22 disposed opposite of the open bottom 20 and having a dispensing opening 24 through the top wall 22 out of which product is dispensed. (As used herein, directional words such as top, bottom, upper, lower, radial, circumferential, lateral, longitudinal, transverse, vertical, horizontal, and the like are employed by way of description and not limitation.) The container 12 also has side walls 26, 28 and front and rear walls 30, 32. The container 12 also includes a first child-resistant (CR) latch element 34 at a protruding forward portion of the container 12, proximate the top wall 22 and the front wall 30.

The lid 18 is pivotably coupled to the body 16 and is non-removable so that the lid 18 will not be lost or accidentally placed onto a different container (not shown). For example, the lid 18 may include a rear end 36 that may be pivotably coupled to the rear of the body 16, for example, at a rear edge 38 of the top wall 22 in any suitable manner by a hinge 40, which may be a living or integral hinge or any other suitable type of hinge. The lid includes a base wall 42, and a pintle or plug 44 extending from the base wall 42 for plug-sealing engagement with the dispensing opening 24 of the body top wall 22 in a closed position of the lid 18. The lid 18 also includes a peripheral lip 46 extending from the base wall 42 to engage a corresponding recessed portion 48 of the body top wall 22 in the closed position of the lid 18. The lid 18 includes a second child-resistant latch element 50 at a front end of the lid 18 to engage the corresponding first CR latch element of the body 16 in the closed position of the lid 18.

The first and second CR latch elements 34, 50 define an exemplary child-resistant configuration, which selectively couples or latches the front ends of the lid 18 and body 16 at a location remote from the hinge 40. But any suitable child-resistant mechanism may be carried by one or the other or both of the body 16 and/or lid 18. The CR mechanism may be identical or similar to that which is described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,404,495, which is assigned to the assignee hereof and is hereby incorporated by reference herein. The lid latch element 50 includes a latch arm 52 resiliently extending from the front end of the lid 18 opposite the hinge 40. The latch arm 52 includes a pair of opposite extending tabs 54 adjacent to a free end 56 thereof. The body latch element 34 includes an axial passage 58 for receiving the latch arm 52 and a pair of laterally spaced ledges 60 in the passage 58 for engagement by the tabs 54 of the latch arm 52 to lock the lid 18 in its closed position. The ledges 60 include cam surfaces 62 for guiding the tabs 54 of the resilient latch arm 52 thereover as the lid 18 is closed. When the lid 18 is fully closed, the tabs 54 clear the cam surfaces 62 and the resilient latch arm 52 snaps under the ledges 60 to lock the lid 18 to the body 16. A front face of the latch arm 52 is directly manually engageable by a user from the front of the package 10, wherein the latch arm 52 is pivotable inwardly within the passage 58 to thereby release the tabs 54 from under the ledges 60 so that the lid 18 can be lifted and pivoted to an open position. The hinge 40 may be constructed and arranged in any suitable manner to provide an upward bias on the lid 18.

Referring to FIG. 4, the open bottom 20 of the container body 16 may be recessed to accommodate the separate closure 14 (FIG. 2). For example, the open bottom 20 may include a bottom surface 64, and a counterbore or open pocket 66 in the bottom surface 64 that is defined by a rim 68 and a shoulder 70 of the walls 28, 32 (26, 30 not shown). The open bottom 20 may be recessed in any other suitable manner. The open bottom 20 defines a relatively large opening that renders it relatively easy for a packager to introduce loose product into the container 12. The opening defined by the open bottom 20 is greater in area than the dispensing opening 24 and may, for example, be several times greater in area.

At the open bottom 20, inside surfaces 72 of the container walls may include CR closure engagement elements 74 that may be projections, ribs, or any other suitable features to sealingly engage the closure 14 (FIG. 2). As shown, five axially spaced and concentric engagement elements 74 are provided but any suitable quantity, size and spacing of the elements 74 may be provided for good CR and sealing engagement with the closure 14 (FIG. 2).

Referring to FIG. 2, the closure 14 is coupled to the container 12 in any suitable child-resistant configuration. For example, the closure 14 may be a plug selectively receivable by frictional or press fit into the open bottom 20 of the body 16 of the container 12. The closure 14 includes a base wall 76, and axially extending walls 78 extending from the base wall 76 and corresponding to the walls 26, 28, 30, 32 of the container body 16. The closure 14 also includes a peripheral flange 78 extending from the axially extending walls 78, corresponding to the pocket 66 of the container body 16 (FIG. 4), and defining a bottom surface 84 of the closure 14.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the axially extending walls 78 may include one or more CR container engagement elements 82 that may be beads, projections, ribs, or any other suitable features to sealingly engage the corresponding engagement elements of the container body. As shown, five axially spaced and concentric engagement elements 82 are provided but any suitable quantity, size and spacing of the elements 82 maybe provided for good CR sealing engagement with the container body 16 (FIG. 2). The sealing configuration between the container 12 and closure 14 disclosed herein provides a good seal against moisture vapor transmission.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the container 12 and the closure 14 maybe manufactured in any suitable manner from any suitable material. For example, the container 12 may be injection molded from polypropylene and the closure 14 may be injection molded from high density polyethylene. The container 12 is molded with the lid 18 open and the lid 18 is moved to the closed position, for example, when leaving an injection mold by any suitable automatic lid closing equipment.

The package 10 may be a bottom fill type of package. As used herein, the term “fill” includes introducing at least some product into a container and does not necessarily include completely filling the container. The container 12 with its lid 18 closed, and the closure 14 are provided separately to a packager, for example, a pharmacist. The top of the lid 18 of the container 12 is flat to facilitate resting the container 12 on its lid 18 for filling by the packager. Accordingly, the packager inverts and rests the container 12 on its flat top lid 18, introduces loose product into the container 12 through the open bottom 20, and then inserts the closure 14 into the open bottom 20 of the container 12 to seal the loose contents inside the now-closed package 10.

The closure 14 may be recessed within the open bottom 20 of the container body 16, wherein the bottom surface 84 of the closure 14 may be at least flush or recessed with respect to the bottom surface 64 of the container body 16. Accordingly, it is difficult or even impossible for a child to remove the closure 14 from the container body 16, such that the container 12 and closure 14 are provided in an exemplary CR configuration.

As shown in FIG. 2, the packager may apply a label 86 to the container 12 and present it to a consumer for use. Accordingly, the package 10 may also include the label 86, which, for example, may wrap at least partially around the rear wall 32 and one or more of the side wall(s) 26, 28 of the body 16 of the container 12 as shown in FIG. 2. Or, as shown in FIG. 1, a label 86′ may wrap at least partially over the lid 18 and/or the closure 14 as a tamper indicating measure, or may be applied to the package 10 in any other suitable manner.

There thus has been disclosed a container, closure, and/or label, that satisfies at least some of the objects and aims previously set forth. The disclosure has been presented in conjunction with several exemplary embodiments, and additional modifications and variations have been discussed. Other modifications and variations readily will suggest themselves to persons of ordinary skill in the art in view of the foregoing discussion. The disclosure is intended to embrace all such modifications and variations as fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims. 

1. A package for storing and dispensing products, which includes: a container of one-piece integrally molded plastic construction having a generally rectangular body including an open bottom and a top wall extending across said body opposite said open bottom with a dispensing opening in said top wall, and also having a lid pivotably coupled by a hinge to said body at one edge of said top wall, a plug on said lid for sealing receipt within said dispensing opening in a closed position of said lid over said top wall, and cooperating child-resistant latch elements at a front of said lid opposite said hinge and at a front of said body opposite said hinge for selectively latching said lid in said closed position overlying said top wall, and a bottom plug selectively receivable by press fit into said open bottom of said body after introducing products into said body through said open end.
 2. The package set forth in claim 1 wherein said lid is non-removably hinged to said body.
 3. The package set forth in claim 1 wherein said bottom plug is recessed in said open bottom of said body.
 4. The package set forth in claim 1 wherein said open bottom of said body includes closure engagement elements, a bottom surface, and a pocket in said bottom surface, and said bottom plug includes a base wall, axially extending walls extending from said base wall and having container engagement elements engaged to said closure engagement elements of said container.
 5. The package set forth in claim 4 wherein said closure and container engagement elements include axially spaced interengaged concentric ribs.
 6. The package set forth in claim 1 wherein said bottom plug also includes a peripheral flange extending from said axially extending walls, wherein said flange defines a bottom surface of said plug and fits within said pocket such that said bottom surface of said plug is recessed with respect to said bottom surface of said container body.
 7. The package set forth in claim 1, further comprising a label applied to said body of said container.
 8. The package set forth in claim 7, wherein said label also at least partially covers at least one of said lid or said bottom plug as a tamper-indicating measure.
 9. The package set forth in claim 1, wherein said lid has a flat top permitting said container to be rested on said lid to facilitate introduction of product through said open bottom into said body.
 10. The package set forth in claim 1 wherein said container is composed of polypropylene and said bottom plug is composed of high density polyethylene.
 11. A child-resistant package for storing and dispensing products that includes: a child-resistant container of one-piece integrally molded plastic construction including a body having an open bottom and a top wall with a dispensing opening, and a lid pivotably coupled to said body and being closeable with respect to said body in a child-resistant configuration; and a closure coupled to said open bottom of said container body in a child-resistant configuration.
 12. The package of claim 11, wherein said lid is coupled to said body by an integral hinge and has a flat top permitting said container to be rested on said lid to facilitate introduction of product through said open bottom into said body.
 13. The package set forth in claim 11, wherein said body is generally oblong in shape having a front wall, a rear wall, and side walls.
 14. The package set forth in claim 13 further comprising a label applied to said container body and to at least one of said lid or said closure as a tamper-indicating measure.
 15. The package set forth in claim 11 wherein said open bottom of said body includes closure engagement elements, a bottom surface, and a pocket in said bottom surface, and said closure includes a base wall, axially extending walls extending from said base wall and having container engagement elements engaged with said closure engagement elements, and said closure also includes a peripheral flange extending from said axially extending walls, wherein said flange defines a bottom surface of said closure and fits within said pocket such that said bottom surface of said closure is recessed with respect to said bottom surface of said container body.
 16. A child-resistant container of one-piece integrally molded construction for storing and dispensing products that includes: a body including an open bottom through which product is introduced into said container, and a top wall with a dispensing opening through which product is dispensed out of said container; and a lid pivotably coupled to said body and being closeable with respect to said body in a child-resistant configuration.
 17. The container set forth in claim 16, further comprising a first child-resistant latch element carried by said body, and a second child-resistant latch element carried by said lid and cooperable with said first child-resistant element of said body when said lid is closed.
 18. The container set forth in claim 16, wherein said lid includes a flat top to permit said container to be inverted and rested on said lid to facilitate introduction of product through said open bottom of said body.
 19. The container set forth in claim 16, wherein said body includes a peripheral recessed portion around said top wall, and said lid includes a base wall and a plug extending therefrom to seal said dispensing opening when said lid is in a closed position, and said lid includes a peripheral lip extending from said base wall to cooperate with said peripheral recessed portion around said top wall when said lid is in a closed position.
 20. A package including the container set forth in claim 16 and a closure applied to said open bottom in a child-resistant configuration.
 21. The package set forth in claim 20 further including a label applied to said container body and to at least one of said lid or said closure as a tamper-indicating measure. 